Steel gondola railcar

ABSTRACT

A gondola car is made of high strength and high abrasion resistance steel that provides a lightweight structure and that prolongs the useful life of the car. The high strength and high abrasion resistance steel enhances the strength of the gondola car without increasing its thickness. The contemplated railcar positions components (e.g., side posts and cross-bearers) of the railcar away from areas of the railcar that experience high stresses during transport. In this manner, these components can be welded to form the railcar, and the welds will experience less stress during transport resulting in less weld breaks. Additionally, the number of components (e.g., side posts and cross-bearers) may be reduced, which reduces the weight of the railcar.

RELATED APPLICATIONS AND CLAIM TO PRIORITY

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/841,429 filed May 1, 2019 and titled “STEEL FOR RAILCAR STRUCTURE,” which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates generally to railcars.

BACKGROUND

Railcars come in various kinds of cars and containers which carry freight and cargo across the country. For example, a railcar may be a tank car, a covered or open hopper, a well car, a flat car, a gondola car, and/or a box car based on the freight and cargo it carries or the facility at the terminal station.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Railcars come in various kinds of cars and containers which carry freight and cargo across the country. For example, a railcar may be a tank car, a covered or open hopper, a well car, a flat car, a gondola car, and/or a box car based on the freight and cargo it carries or the facility at the terminal station. A gondola railcar is usually designed to carry granular aggregates, steel/concrete waste, heavy structural shapes, and plates and coal. It may transport the commodity to a terminal station, which may rotate each gondola car to unload the commodity from the open top of the gondola car or have the commodity removed by other means.

Traditionally, a gondola car is made of mild carbon steels having yield strengths between 36 and 65 ksi. These steels tend to dent severely in service. Also due to material strength limitations, these gondola cars have at least certain numbers of side posts and underframe designs with particular structural elements.

This disclosure contemplates a gondola car made of high strength and high abrasion resistance steel that provides a lightweight structure and that prolongs the useful life of the car. The high strength and high abrasion resistance steel enhances the strength of the gondola car without increasing its thickness. One challenge that previously prevented the use of this steel in forming railcars was that the chemical and mechanical properties of the steel made it difficult to form welds that could withstand the forces and tensions caused by transporting commodities in the railcar. These welds would often break, resulting in damage or failure of the railcar. The contemplated railcar addresses these weldability concerns by positioning components (e.g., side posts and cross-bearers) of the railcar away from areas of the railcar that experience high stresses during transport. In this manner, these components can be welded to form the railcar, and the welds will experience less stress during transport resulting in less weld breaks. Additionally, the number of components (e.g., side posts and cross-bearers) may be reduced, which reduces the weight of the railcar.

Several embodiments are elaborated in this disclosure. According to one embodiment, the steel for a gondola car structure is made of an alloy having a Brinell hardness of at least 200 HB and a yield strength of at least 65 ksi. In one embodiment, the steel has a yield strength in a range from 65 to 150 ksi based on a thickness of the steel. In one embodiment, the steel has a yield strength of 150 ksi in a variety of thicknesses. In one embodiment, the steel has a yield strength of greater than 100 ksi. In one embodiment, the steel has a hardness in a range between 400 and 500 HB.

According to one embodiment of a gondola car, the interior of the gondola car is made of high strength and high abrasion resistance steel and comprises four or fewer side posts per side, wherein the steel may be an alloy having a hardness of at least 200 HB and a yield strength of at least 65 ksi; and the four or fewer side posts per side are mounted to an exterior structure of the gondola car. In one embodiment, the gondola car comprises four or fewer welded areas where the cross-bearer connections attach to at the center sill and the four or fewer side posts per side. In one embodiment, the gondola car is made of steel having a hardness of at least 200 HB and a yield strength of at least 65 ksi.

According to another embodiment, a gondola railcar includes a first side sheet, a second side sheet, a bottom plate, a first bolster, a second bolster, and exactly two cross-bearer structures. The first and second side sheets include an alloy having a hardness of at least 200 HB and a yield strength of at least 65 ksi. The bottom plate is coupled to the first and second side sheets. The first bolster is coupled to the bottom plate. The second bolster is coupled to the bottom plate. The first cross-bearer structure includes a first cross-bearer coupled to the bottom plate between the first and second bolsters, a first side post coupled to the cross-bearer and welded to the first side sheet, and a second side post coupled to the cross-bearer and welded to the second side sheet. The second cross-bearer structure includes a second cross-bearer coupled to the bottom plate between the first cross-bearer and the second bolster, a third side post coupled to the second cross-bearer and welded to the first side sheet, and a fourth side post coupled to the second cross-bearer and welded to the second side sheet.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges. There are, proposed herein, various embodiments which address one or more of the issues disclosed herein.

Certain embodiments disclosed herein may contain or embody one or more technical advantages. As an example, certain embodiments may lessen the weight of the gondola car by utilizing high strength and high abrasion resistance steel to reduce the number of the side posts in the gondola car. Particular embodiments may provide fewer welded areas in the bottom and sides of the gondola car to reduce localized deformations around those areas, so that it may highly improve the durability of the gondola car.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure are apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the following detailed description of the disclosure and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is now made to the following brief description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts.

FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate an example gondola car; and

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of an example gondola car, in accordance with certain embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure and inventive concepts, and their features and advantages, may be understood by referring to FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2, like numerals being used for corresponding parts in the various drawings.

This disclosure contemplates using a high strength and high abrasion resistance steel in manufacturing a gondola car. The gondola car may benefit from the high strength and high abrasion resistance steel through a significant reduction on the total weight of the gondola car and fewer welded areas in the bottom and sides of the gondola car to enhance its durability. To address weldability concerns presented by the steel, components (e.g., side posts and cross-bearers) are positioned at locations on the gondola car that experience the least amount of stress when transporting goods, rather than positioning several side posts and cross-bearers across the gondola car. This positioning may result in fewer components being welded to the gondola car. In a particular embodiment, the gondola car includes only two side posts and cross-bearers. As a result of reducing the number of side posts and cross-bearers, the weight of the gondola car is further reduced relative to conventional designs. Additionally, because of fewer side posts and cross-bearers supporting the structure of the gondola car, fewer abrasions and deformations may be formed in the gondola car during operations when the gondola car is impacted by an object.

FIG. 1A illustrates an example gondola car 100. As seen in FIG. 1A, gondola car 100 may be a railcar that is rectangular in shape. Commodities may be loaded and unloaded through the top of gondola car 100. Gondola car 100 may include wheels that allow gondola car 100 to transport commodities over rails.

FIG. 1B illustrates a perspective view of gondola car 100. Gondola car 100 comprises a body 102 and an underframe 104. The body 102 comprises fourteen side posts 106, two side sheets 108, two end sheets 110, and a bottom plate 112. The underframe 104 comprises five cross-bearers 114, two bolsters 116, and one center sill 118.

A structure of the body 102 is constructed with the two side sheets 108, the bottom plate 112, and the two end sheets 110. The two side sheets 108 are coupled to the two end sheets 110. The bottom plate 112 is coupled to a bottom side of the two side sheets 108 and the two end sheets 110 to form a container having an open top. The structure of the body is made of carbon steels, which have yield strengths between 36 and 65 ksi. The fourteen side posts 106 are welded with the two side sheets 108 separately to strengthen the side sheet 108. Each side sheet 108 has seven side posts 106 coupled to the side sheet 108.

The underframe 104 is constructed with the five cross-bearers 114, the two bolsters 116, and the center sill 118 and is welded to the bottom plate 112 of the body 102. The center sill 118 is mounted on the bottom plate 112 along a longitudinal axis of the gondola car 100 and is connected with the two opposite end sheets 110. The two bolsters 116 are mounted on the bottom plate 112 near the two opposite end sheets 110 respectively and are connected with the center sill 118 orthogonally. In one embodiment, the two bolsters 116 may also be extensively connected with the side posts 106 welded with the side sheets 108. The five cross-bearers 114 are mounted on the bottom plate 112 between the two bolsters 116 and are connected with the center sill 118 orthogonally. In one embodiment, the five cross-bearers 114 may also be extensively connected with the side posts 106 welded with the side sheets 108. The underframe 104 may also be made of carbon steels, which have yield strengths between 36 and 65 ksi.

The gondola car 100 comprising the body 102 and the underframe 104 has a total weight of 52,500 lbs. Furthermore, each joint and welded area formed in the body 102 and the underframes 104 may cause localized deformations during operations, such as loading/unloading commodities and transportation.

This disclosure contemplates a gondola car made of high strength and high abrasion resistance steel that provides a lightweight structure and that prolongs the useful life of the car. The high strength and high abrasion resistance steel may enhance the strength of the gondola car without increasing its thickness. One challenge that previously prevented the use of this steel in forming railcars was that the chemical and mechanical properties of the steel made it difficult to form welds that could withstand the forces and tensions caused by transporting commodities in the railcar. These welds would often break, resulting in damage or failure of the railcar. The contemplated railcar addresses these weldability concerns by positioning components (e.g., side posts and cross-bearers) of the railcar away from areas of the railcar that experience high stresses during transport. In this manner, these components can be welded to form the railcar, and the welds will experience less stress during transport resulting in less weld breaks. Additionally, the number of components (e.g., side posts and cross-bearers) may be reduced, which reduces the weight of the railcar. The gondola car will be discussed in more detail using FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example gondola car 200 utilizing a high strength and high abrasion resistance steel, in accordance with certain embodiments. Generally, components of the gondola car 200 are made of a high strength and high abrasion steel, which includes an alloy having a hardness of at least 200 HB and a yield strength of at least 65 ksi. The alloy may include any suitable elements to accomplish a Brinell hardness of 200 to 500 HB and a yield strength of greater than 65 ksi. The steel used in manufacturing the gondola car 200 may reduce a total weight of the gondola car 200 under 50,000 pounds (e.g., to 47,900 pounds, which may represent a weight reduction of 4,600 pounds).

The structure of gondola car 200 has been designed to address the weldability challenges presented by the chemical and mechanical properties of the steel. Generally, certain components of gondola car 200 (e.g., side posts and cross-bearers) are positioned at locations that experience less stress during transport. In this manner, the welds on these components are less susceptible to breaking. Additionally, the number of these components is reduced relative to gondola car 100, which further reduces the weight of gondola car 200.

Gondola car 200 includes a body 202 and an underframe 204. Body 202 includes four side posts 206A, 206B, 206C, and 206D, two side sheets 208, two end sheets 210, and a bottom plate 212. The underframe 204 includes two cross-bearers 214A and 214B, two bolsters 216A and 216B, and one center sill 218.

The two side sheets 208, the bottom plate 212, and the two end sheets 210 form a boxlike structure. The two side sheets 208 are coupled to the two end sheets 210. The bottom plate 212 is coupled to a bottom side of the two side sheets 208 and the two end sheets 210 to form a container having an open top. The four side posts 206A-D are welded with the two side sheets 208 separately, so that the side posts 206A-D may reduce the amount of stress to the gondola car 200 in service. Each side sheet 208 may have two side posts 206 welded to the side sheet 208. In the example of FIG. 2, side posts 206A and 206B are welded to one side sheet 208 and side posts 206C and 206D are welded to the other side sheet 208.

The structure of the body (e.g., side sheets 208 and bottom plate 212) is made of a steel having a yield strength of at least 65 ksi and a hardness in a range between 200 and 500 HB. In some embodiments, the steel has a yield strength greater than 150 ksi.

The underframe 204 includes the two cross-bearers 214A and 214B, the two bolsters 216A and 216B, and the center sill 218. These components may be welded to the bottom plate 212. The center sill 218 is mounted on the bottom plate 212 along a longitudinal axis of the gondola car 200 and is connected with the two opposite end sheets 210. The two bolsters 216A and 216B are mounted on the bottom plate 212 near the two opposite end sheets 210, respectively, and are connected with the center sill 230 orthogonally. In one embodiment, the bolsters 216A and 216B are coupled to side posts 206E-H. Side posts 206E-H are further welded with the side sheets 208. Bolsters 216A and 216B may be used to couple gondola car 200 to wheels that allow gondola car 200 to travel on rails. The two cross-bearers 214A and 214B are mounted on the bottom plate 212 between the two bolsters 216A and 216B and are connected with the center sill 218 orthogonally. In one embodiment, the cross-bearers 214 are coupled to side posts 206A-D, which are welded to the side sheets 208. In the example of FIG. 2, side posts 206A and 206B are positioned between side posts 206E and 206F. Similarly, side posts 206C and 206D are positioned between side posts 206G and 206H. Side post 206A is between side posts 206E and 206B. Side post 206B is between side post 206A and side post 206F. Side post 206C is between side post 206G and side post 206D. Side post 206D is between side post 206C and side post 206H. The underframe 204 may also be made of the high strength and high abrasion steel disclosed herein.

The side posts 206A-H may be spaced evenly across side sheet 208. For example, a distance between side post 206E and side post 206A may be substantially the same as a distance between side post 206A and side post 206B, a distance between side post 206B and side post 206F, a distance between side post 206G and side post 206C, a distance between side post 206C and side post 206D, and a distance between side post 206D and side post 206H. Additionally, a distance between bolster 216A and cross-bearer 214A may be substantially the same as a distance between cross-bearer 214A and cross-bearer 214B and a distance between cross-bearer 214B and bolster 216B. This disclosure contemplates that two distances are substantially the same if they are within 5 inches of each other.

Gondola car 200 has fewer side posts 206A-H relative to gondola car 100, which may significantly reduce the amount of joint and welded areas formed in the body 202 and the underframe 204. Therefore, the permanent, localized deformation in the gondola car 200 may be reduced during transportation and operations.

According to various embodiments, an advantage of features herein is that utilizing high strength and high abrasion resistance steel to manufacture a gondola car, so that the gondola car may reduce a certain number of side posts and a total weight and still maintain the durability of the gondola car. Therefore, the gondola car which uses the high strength and high abrasion resistance steel may reduce the abrasions and deformations caused in service from reducing the welded areas connected the side posts and the underframe.

Although particular embodiments and their advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alternations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments. Particular embodiments of the present disclosure described herein may be used or mounted for a railroad car, a semi-trailer, a truck or any other transportation. 

1. A gondola railcar comprising: a first side sheet; a second side sheet, the first and second side sheets comprise an alloy having a hardness of at least 200 HB and a yield strength of at least 65 ksi; a bottom plate coupled to the first and second side sheets; a first bolster coupled to the bottom plate; a second bolster coupled to the bottom plate; and exactly two cross-bearer structures, a first cross-bearer structure comprising: a first cross-bearer coupled to the bottom plate between the first and second bolsters; a first side post coupled to the cross-bearer and welded to the first side sheet; and a second side post coupled to the cross-bearer and welded to the second side sheet; and a second cross-bearer structure comprising: a second cross-bearer coupled to the bottom plate between the first cross-bearer and the second bolster; a third side post coupled to the second cross-bearer and welded to the first side sheet; and a fourth side post coupled to the second cross-bearer and welded to the second side sheet.
 2. The gondola railcar of claim 1, further comprising a center sill coupled to the bottom plate, the first and second bolsters and the first and second cross-bearers are coupled to the center sill.
 3. The gondola railcar of claim 1, further comprising: a first end sheet coupled to the bottom plate and to the first and second side sheets; and a second end sheet coupled to the bottom plate and to the first and second side sheets.
 4. The gondola railcar of claim 1, wherein the gondola railcar weighs less than 50,000 pounds.
 5. The gondola railcar of claim 1, further comprising: a fifth side post coupled to the first bolster and welded to the first side sheet, the first side post between the third and fifth side posts; a sixth side post coupled to the first bolster and welded to the second side sheet, the second side post between the fourth and sixth side posts; a seventh side post coupled to the second bolster and welded to the first side sheet, the third side post between the first and seventh side posts; and an eighth side post coupled to the second bolster and welded to the second side sheet, the fourth side post between the second and eighth side posts.
 6. The gondola railcar of claim 5, a distance between the first cross-bearer and the second cross-bearer is substantially the same as a distance between the second cross-bearer and the second bolster.
 7. The gondola railcar of claim 1, the bottom plate comprises an alloy having a hardness of at least 200 HB and a yield strength of at least 65 ksi.
 8. A method comprising: positioning a gondola railcar, the gondola railcar comprising: a first side sheet; a second side sheet, the first and second side sheets comprise an alloy having a hardness of at least 200 HB and a yield strength of at least 65 ksi; a bottom plate coupled to the first and second side sheets; a first bolster coupled to the bottom plate; a second bolster coupled to the bottom plate; and exactly two cross-bearer structures, a first cross-bearer structure comprising: a first cross-bearer coupled to the bottom plate between the first and second bolsters; a first side post coupled to the cross-bearer and welded to the first side sheet; and a second side post coupled to the cross-bearer and welded to the second side sheet; and a second cross-bearer structure comprising: a second cross-bearer coupled to the bottom plate between the first cross-bearer and the second bolster; a third side post coupled to the second cross-bearer and welded to the first side sheet; and a fourth side post coupled to the second cross-bearer and welded to the second side sheet; and unloading a commodity from the gondola railcar.
 9. The method of claim 8, the gondola railcar further comprising a center sill coupled to the bottom plate, the first and second bolsters and the first and second cross-bearers are coupled to the center sill.
 10. The method of claim 8, the gondola railcar further comprising: a first end sheet coupled to the bottom plate and to the first and second side sheets; and a second end sheet coupled to the bottom plate and to the first and second side sheets.
 11. The method of claim 8, wherein the gondola railcar weighs less than 50,000 pounds.
 12. The method of claim 8, the gondola railcar further comprising: a fifth side post coupled to the first bolster and welded to the first side sheet, the first side post between the third and fifth side posts; a sixth side post coupled to the first bolster and welded to the second side sheet, the second side post between the fourth and sixth side posts; a seventh side post coupled to the second bolster and welded to the first side sheet, the third side post between the first and seventh side posts; and an eighth side post coupled to the second bolster and welded to the second side sheet, the fourth side post between the second and eighth side posts.
 13. The method of claim 12, a distance between the first cross-bearer and the second cross-bearer is substantially the same as a distance between the second cross-bearer and the second bolster.
 14. The method of claim 8, the bottom plate comprises an alloy having a hardness of at least 200 HB and a yield strength of at least 65 ksi.
 15. A system comprising: a gondola railcar comprising: a first side sheet; a second side sheet, the first and second side sheets comprise an alloy having a hardness of at least 200 HB and a yield strength of at least 65 ksi; a bottom plate coupled to the first and second side sheets; a first bolster coupled to the bottom plate; a second bolster coupled to the bottom plate; and exactly two cross-bearer structures, a first cross-bearer structure comprising: a first cross-bearer coupled to the bottom plate between the first and second bolsters; a first side post coupled to the cross-bearer and welded to the first side sheet; and a second side post coupled to the cross-bearer and welded to the second side sheet; and a second cross-bearer structure comprising: a second cross-bearer coupled to the bottom plate between the first cross-bearer and the second bolster; a third side post coupled to the second cross-bearer and welded to the first side sheet; and a fourth side post coupled to the second cross-bearer and welded to the second side sheet; and a commodity loaded in the gondola railcar.
 16. The system of claim 15, the gondola railcar further comprising a center sill coupled to the bottom plate, the first and second bolsters and the first and second cross-bearers are coupled to the center sill.
 17. The system of claim 15, the gondola railcar further comprising: a first end sheet coupled to the bottom plate and to the first and second side sheets; and a second end sheet coupled to the bottom plate and to the first and second side sheets.
 18. The system of claim 15, wherein the gondola railcar weighs less than 50,000 pounds.
 19. The system of claim 15, the gondola railcar further comprising: a fifth side post coupled to the first bolster and welded to the first side sheet, the first side post between the third and fifth side posts; a sixth side post coupled to the first bolster and welded to the second side sheet, the second side post between the fourth and sixth side posts; a seventh side post coupled to the second bolster and welded to the first side sheet, the third side post between the first and seventh side posts; and an eighth side post coupled to the second bolster and welded to the second side sheet, the fourth side post between the second and eighth side posts.
 20. The system of claim 19, a distance between the first cross-bearer and the second cross-bearer is substantially the same as a distance between the second cross-bearer and the second bolster. 